Conventionally, there has been proposed a polishing device that polishes an end face of a ferrule of an optical connector (see Patent Literature 1 below).
This polishing device comprises a rotating polishing board, polishing paper, a ferrule-fixing section, and a rotating mechanism. The polishing paper is arranged on the rotating polishing board. Abrasive grains are fixed on the polishing paper. The ferrule-fixing section is formed with a through hole through which an optical connector is inserted.
The optical connector includes a ferrule and a rubber boot. The ferrule has a flange. When the ferrule is inserted through the through hole of the ferrule-fixing section, the flange is brought into abutment with a rim of the through hole. In this state, the ferrule is fixed to the ferrule-fixing section. Further, the ferrule has a plurality of optical fiber insertion holes. One end of each optical fiber is inserted through an associated one of the optical fiber insertion holes, and is fixed with glue. The rubber boot is mounted on a side of the optical connector opposite from an end face of the ferrule. The optical fibers are inserted through the rubber boot.
To polish the end face of the ferrule, first, the ferrule is inserted through the through hole of the ferrule-fixing section. When the ferrule is inserted through the through hole of the ferrule-fixing section, the flange of the ferrule is brought into abutment with the ferrule-fixing section.
Next, the ferrule-fixing section is lowered to press the end face of the ferrule against the polishing paper on the rotating polishing board which is being rotated.
As a result, the end face of the ferrule is polished by the polishing paper.